# What is the most 'effective' way to relax African hair?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 11, 2017, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706 "2017-06-11T17:55:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@femmejean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femmejean)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2017, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/1 "2017-06-11T17:55:13Z")
I have pretty [Kinky Hair](http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=94156650) and I’d like some wavy hair like [this](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/55/96/b0/5596b0aa55c3f705e8f6afebace54df7.jpg) if possible.
One of my relatives has tried to use relaxers but although it did ‘soften’ to a degree, it was still kinky in texture.
I thought it’d be best to figure out the science of different hair textures and perhaps consult a hairdresser who knows what chemical products can create those changes as opposed to DIY.
Do any dopers have any experience with this?
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### Author:  [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2017, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/2 "2017-06-11T20:22:57Z")
The traditional way was to use lye, mixed with Vaseline for some skin protection. I assume there are commercial products that do this on a safe level. That’s what home hair treatments do, they relax the hair with caustics (that’s why you wrap cotton strands around the hair line, to keep it off your face. It still burns). They you wrap it around curlers and neutralize it and that locks in the curls.
A straightener would just skip the curlers I guess.
Dennis
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### Author:  [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/3 "2017-06-11T22:03:45Z")
Ew, lye is going to burn the hair and it will smell like it too.
I know that is how they straighten hair but seems like an awful thing to do, not to mention your poor head if any gets on the scalp.
Could i toss in a vote for get a nice pick and just go for a fro?
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/4 "2017-06-11T22:07:20Z")
**Moderator Action**
I think this will do better in IMHO where folks can give their opinions on products and share personal experiences.
Moving thread from GQ to IMHO.
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### Author:  [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2017, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/5 "2017-06-11T22:12:48Z")
Why is “effective” in quotes?
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### Author:  [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/6 "2017-06-11T22:47:30Z")
You will not be able to find a chemical solution. There’s no relaxer on the market that will turn kinky curls into ringlets. A relaxer will turn kinky into straight. A stylist with the right equipment will be able to then create ringlets, but even then they probably won’t look like the ringlets in that pic. It will be up to you, using a variety of products and accessories (like a satin scarf to sleep in) to maintain whatever look you get. The difficulty you will face will hinge on how kinky your hair is, its length and thickness, and your level of hair care commitment (as well as climate. Humidity is a beast.)
I recommend you find a message board for naturally curlies.
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/7 "2017-06-12T00:49:27Z")
[Jheri curl kits are still around.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jheri_curl) From what I understand, they are no longer so greasy. But you still have to straighten, then curl your hair. I can’t see your first link, so I’m not sure how ‘kinky’ your original hair is. My hair has a moderate kink but I can get it to curl by just wetting and using a [curl activator.](https://www.walgreens.com/q/curl+activators), but if you’ve got anything more kinky than ‘moderate’, you’ll still have to straighten first. And you are probably not going to get big, soft ringlets.
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2017, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/8 "2017-06-12T01:12:41Z")
Unless you are born with those big, soft bouncy curls, it is going to take some work to get your hair big, soft and bouncy-- no matter what texture you start out with. Got your first link to open and you can get curls with product.
Most hair straigheners marketed to Blacks do not contain lye, btw. They use some sort of two part chemical that is supposed to be less caustic. Still burns, though. Unless there has been some drastic change since the last time I permed my hair about 8 years ago.
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### Author:  [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/9 "2017-06-12T01:14:12Z")
Look into S curl kits. That might be the same thing as the Jheri curl of the past. As someone else said, you will probably not be able to achieve the look in that picture, no matter what, though. So be prepared.
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2017, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/10 "2017-06-12T02:18:01Z")
You look up Jheri curl and under the definition, you’ll see a picture of Ice Cube!
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2017, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/11 "2017-06-12T06:39:57Z")
> [@Biggirl](#):
>
> Unless you are born with those big, soft bouncy curls, it is going to take some work to get your hair big, soft and bouncy-- no matter what texture you start out with. Got your first link to open and you can get curls with product.
>
> Most hair straigheners marketed to Blacks do not contain lye, btw. They use some sort of two part chemical that is supposed to be less caustic. Still burns, though. Unless there has been some drastic change since the last time I permed my hair about 8 years ago.
Question – why are hair straighteners so much more damaging than perms? (If in fact, they are) Is it because of the texture of curly hair, or just the way it has to be done?
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2017, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/12 "2017-06-12T07:17:49Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#):
>
> Question – why are hair straighteners so much more damaging than perms? (If in fact, they are) Is it because of the texture of curly hair, or just the way it has to be done?
A perm and a straightener are the same thing far as I know. Now that I think about it, it may take a longer time to get very coarse hair straight than it takes to get straight hair curly.
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### Author:  [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2017, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/13 "2017-06-12T11:52:02Z")
She’s probably talking about curly (white people) perms. Curly hair is more fragile than straight hair. Everything is more damaging to it than it is to straight hair.
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/14 "2017-06-12T17:35:59Z")
I’m pretty sure perms are the same for white and black people. You chemically break the bonds and rearrange them more to your liking. However it takes longer to straighten coarse hair than to straighten already straight hair and then curl it (usually with curlers).
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### Author:  [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/15 "2017-06-12T19:39:53Z")
I’m pretty sure that curly perms generally use a milder chemical than the both the lye and no lye relaxers.
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### Author:  [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/16 "2017-06-12T23:28:41Z")
I’m so glad I eventually learned to stop doing stuff like that to my hair. I realized that anyone who gets to know me (and/or like me) won’t really care about my hair (they’ll be too in awe of my sense of humor).
I suppose I could still try to get my hair perfect for the people who don’t know me or like me, but why should I be worrying about them?
Man, I wish I’d learned this back in high school. All that time I spent teasing/combing/worrying.
All those moments… lost in time, like curls in rain.
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### Author:  [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)
#### Post date: [June 12, 2017, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-effective-way-to-relax-african-hair/788706/17 "2017-06-12T23:44:33Z")
> [@digs](#):
>
> I’m so glad I eventually learned to stop doing stuff like that to my hair. I realized that anyone who gets to know me (and/or like me) won’t really care about my hair (they’ll be too in awe of my sense of humor).
I know there are people who have a problem with my hair, and I also know they still like me. 🙂 Regardless how anyone feels about it, it’s _my_ hair and _I_ like it. That’s all that matters.